Yesterday, Yankovic posted an “Unboxing the 2015 Grammy” video on his YouTube channel. Whether you’re an “unboxing” aficionado or have absolutely no idea what these kinds of clips are all about, you’ll be a convert thanks to Yankovic’s gentle guidance.

There’s really not much to explain here: Yankovic actually filmed himself opening his Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album (for last year’s chart-topping “Mandatory Fun“). But, his signature comedy quips are all over the video, which is worth the viewing alone. Example: “[The award] just got to my house. And the Grammys were, like, almost three months ago, so, if you can help it, try not to use [the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences] as a delivery service. If you can get your Grammys off of Amazon instead, I say go for it.” Read More »

The pop-parody king has a new decree for the universe, and it comes in the form of “The Mandatory World Tour.” Yes, “Weird Al” Yankovic, on the heels of his first-ever Number One album, “Mandatory Fun” – which itself was the result of a savvy marketing campaign last summer – will be taking his musical-comedy brilliance on the road later this year.

Yankovic announced the concert tour and dates on his website, along with an accompanying promo clip aptly designed to look like a propaganda video: “There will be music. There will be humor. There will be fun,” a voice-over deadpans. “Be there. It’s ‘Mandatory.” Read More »

In 1963, Allan Sherman hit number one on Billboard with “My Son, the Nut,” and it was the last comedy album to top the charts. Until now. “Weird Al” Yankovic’s 14th studio album, “Mandatory Fun,” landed at number one this week, selling 104,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Cynics would be quick to point out that an album largely based on parodying recent pop songs like Lorde’s “Royals” and Pharrell Williams’ “Happy” demonstrates the sad state of the music industry, but Yankovic’s cultivated a rabid fanbase over the last 30 years. His “Mandatory Fun” roll-out plan capitalized on that last week, when he released eight videos in eight consecutive days, each becoming its own viral hit. The biggest so far has been his song “Word Crimes,” a parody of Robin Thicke’s smash single “Blurred Lines,” that laments terrible grammar – its garnered over 10 million views to date.

Speakeasy talked with Yankovic yesterday about his rise to the top of the charts, song parodies in the internet age and why he flew to Colorado just for rapper Iggy Azalea’s approval.

Read the interview with the pop-parody master after the jump. Read More »

“Weird Al” Yankovic wraps up his eight-day string of video releases with “Mission Statement,” which premieres today on Speakeasy.

The song, from Yankovic’s new album “Mandatory Fun,” is in the style of Crosby, Stills & Nash (think “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes” or “Carry On”). The song features Yankovic harmonizing with himself on lyrics constructed of corporate jargon, like “operationalize our strategies” and “leverage our core competencies,” while the animated whiteboard video by TruScribe depicts a live-action hand that is drawing illustrations to go with the words.

“I wanted to do a song about all the ridiculous double-speak and meaningless buzzwords that I’ve been hearing in office environments my entire life,” Yankovic says by e-mail. “I just thought it would be ironic to juxtapose that with the song stylings of CSN, whose music pretty much symbolizes the antithesis of corporate America.”

“Weird Al” Yankovic is releasing a video from his new album “Mandatory Fun”every day this week, and his latest is “Word Crimes,” a hilarious parody of Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” that may as well have been called “Usage Nerds, Unite.”

In the text-heavy video, Yankovic will call you out for poor grammar, using lyrics such as:

“It’s a good time 2 lern some grammer? / Now did I stammer? / Work on that grammar. / You should know when / it’s less or it’s fewer / like people who were / never raised in a sewer.”

And this: “I hate these word crimes / like I could care less / that means you do care / at least a little.”

Two weeks ago, actress and singer Patti LuPone grabbed a cell phone out of the hand of an audience member who was texting during a performance of her current play, "Shows for Days." The bold move led to an outpouring of support from fans fed up with glowing screens. Ms. LuPone gives us her five rules of theater etiquette.